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Sunday, 24 May 2015

Sewing Against the Clock: A Quick Pencil Skirt in Scuba to Wear Out Straightaway!

Hi folks,

Happy Bank Holiday weekend! I am feeling super-rested as I've just had the week off work- had some holiday to use up but nowhere to go. It's nice being a homebody sometimes- I had grand sewing plans and ideas to go for a jog/ swim/ refreshing walk every day, but in reality I slept in, read for hours in my PJs, did some cleaning (very unlike me!) before slowly settling in for a bit less of a sewing sesh than originally intended. I told everyone at work I'd be coming back with a new pair of jeans- but actually I've only just assembled the front pockets on my Gingers! Still got the rest of today and all of Monday to try and get a bit more done though...

Maybe making this Gertie Easy Knit Pencil Skirt was too small of a morsel for a palate-cleanser before cracking on with jeans! Excuse me if I use the term 'palate-cleanser' too much- I find I'm learning all the time so it really is nice to go back to something really easy between taxing projects.

And this skirt is really easy- I actually whipped it up in something like an hour (including cutting, and this is unheard of for me, I'm pretty slow usually) directly after finishing my boyfriend's Chicken Shirt. I basically got him to try the finished shirt on, mentioned I fancied going out that evening, he got a call inviting us to a punk gig, and bang! I knocked the skirt out so I would have something new and appropriate to wear. If you read the Chicken Shirt post you'll recognise the setting- we shot these photos on the stroll to the gig venue. Excuse the weird expressions- the evening sun was still pretty bright!

Not too much to say about this- I didn't even have to make any fitting adjustments. The skirt is my first scuba project though and wasn't prewashed so I hope it won't shrink! I've seen in my Great British Sewing Bee book it says to wash neoprene (is neoprene the same as scuba?) in the bath with a mild detergent and to lie flat to dry, which I will do (unfortunately it being a white background means it's already a little dirty after 3 wears) but I don't really know that much else about scuba and I have a lot more to use up!

I plan to make a Gertie wiggle dress out of some digital floral scuba I have (inspired by Sabine Sibille Sews's version), and maybe the sultry sheath out of the rest of the white leopard stuff. Does anyone have any tips with scuba? What do you do about facings? Do you omit and do a turn-and-stitch instead, or twin-needle it? What if you want a more formal, clean finish? Would a binding work? So many questions!

I did manage to glean the following information about scuba jersey from the blogosphere though and took away this knowledge:

- Stitch with a ballpoint needle, size 80 I think.
- Don't bother about finishing seam edges as it won't fray and you don't want the extra bulk. You don't even have to hem if you don't want to, but I did a twin needle jobbie.
- If it's a thick scuba then go a size down.

I didn't size down with this one and it fits comfortably- if it was any tighter it would have the sexy negative ease but would be more restrictive to wear. As it is I can cycle in it, which is a real plus in my book! I'm not sure what I'll do if I do the sheath and wiggle dresses- I guess I can always baste together at my regular size and take in more as necessary.

Hopefully next time I will have some jeans to share with you! Scuba advice very welcome. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!